The present invention relates generally to the field of fasteners, and more specifically to quick-connect fasteners that are operable by hand to fasten removable components to machinery.
Machinery that is used in production and packaging plants often includes components that can be removed from the machinery. For example, some components may be removable in order to allow a machinery operator to access the interior of the machine for cleaning, or to replace a broken part. In addition, components may be removable so that they can be replaced with different components in order to configure the machinery for a different function. There are many other reasons why certain components could be removable, however, in all cases the removable components rely on fastening devices to secure them in place. Bolts and screws are commonly used as fastening devices since they are able to tightly fasten components to the machinery, and are able to be unscrewed or unbolted when the component needs to be changed, cleaned or repaired.
There are many disadvantages associated with the use of bolts and screws. Firstly, they are very time consuming for the machinery operator to use since each screw, or each bolt, must be untightened and then re-tightened individually. Throughout the time the operator is untightening and re-tightening the bolts or screws, the machinery is not functioning, thereby leading to inefficiency in the production line. Secondly, it is easy to lose bolts and screws since they are relatively small and are completely removable from both the machinery and the changeable component. And finally, the level of force the bolts or screws apply to the removable component is different each time the bolts or screws are fastened, since the force depends on the amount the bolts or screws are tightened by the operator. As such, bolts and screws do not provide any consistency in the level of force applied to the removable component.
As can be seen based on the above description of the prior art, there is a need in the industry for a quick-connect fastener that alleviates, at least in part, the deficiencies associated with the existing methods of fastening.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides a quick-connect fastener for removably fastening a component. The quick-connect fastener has a base member and a shaft having a longitudinal axis that extends through the base member. The shaft and the base member are displaceable with relation to each other between a first position and a second position.
In the first position, the shaft and the base member are positioned relative to each other in order to cause fastening of the component. In the second position the shaft and the base member are positioned relative to each other in order to allow removal of the component.
The quick-connect fastener further includes a locking mechanism with first and second mating parts. One of the mating parts is mounted to the shaft and the other is mounted to the base member. The first mating part is movable both angularly and in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the shaft with relation to the second mating part. The mating parts are movable between a lock position, wherein the shaft and said base member are in the first position, and a release position, wherein the shaft and the base member are in the second position. The locking mechanism is responsive to the movement of the mating parts between the lock position and the release position to cause a relative movement between the shaft and the base member along the longitudinal axis to vary a spacing between the shaft and the base member.